Gas cleaning apparatus



Aug. 1, 1934. A. w. SIMON ET AL 1,969,627

GAS CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 14, 1951' INVENTORS ALFRED WALTER 5\MON LEONARD CAROTHERS KRON HENRY RAYMOND ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 7, 1934 PATENT OFFICE V 1,969,627 GAS CLEANINGAVPPARATUS Alfred Walter Simon, Birmingham, Leonard CarothersKron, Ensley, and Henry Raymond,

Pratt City, Ala.

Application August 14, 1931, Serial No. 557,193

5 Claims. (01. 23-253) This invention relates to smoke density measuring devices and more particularly to smoke density meters of the radiation type disclosed and claimed in copending application Serial No. 390,634 filed September 5, 1929. Briefly, the smoke density meter of the above identified copending application comprises a smoke stack, means to project a beam of light through a predetermined distance, means to pass atleast av portion of the smoke gases therein through saidpredetermined distance, and light responsive means energized by the amount of light traversing the distance through the gases to indicate and to record the density of the smoke gases. ,The amount of light that is transmittedby a column of dust laden gases is dependent upon its dust content.

One of the objects of the present invention is to utilize the transmitted light as a means to automatically operate, regulate or control the action of gas cleaning apparatus.

Another object of the present, invention is to improve the operation of gascleaning apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means to automatically control and regulate-gas cleaning apparatus with respect to the amount of-material to be cleaned from the gases. e

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the invention is more fully disclosed.

In accordance with the objects of the present invention we have devised a control and regulating means for gas cleaning apparatus which is energized by the light permeability of the influent or efiluent gases of the apparatus. Before further disclosing the nature and scope'of the presentinvention reference should be made to the accompanying drawing wherein:-

Fig. 1 is-a schematic sectional side elevation view of a gas cleaning apparatus known to the art as a tower washer. V Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the gas testing apparatus. i Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view partly in section ofa preferred method of controlling.,.and regulating the waterinput to the tower washer;

and p Fig. 4 is a schematic plan view of the internal.

wiring of an electric motor element included in 'the diagram of Fig. 3.- 1

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1, numeral 1 vrepresents the shell of a tower washer, 2 the inor pick-up end of the control device, 5 an alternative placing of this pick-up end, 6 and 7 suit able sets of water sprays inthe top of the washer, 8 grids to break up the water in its fall and increase the cleaning action, 9 a motor-operate water valve, operated by the motor 10. 1

Referring to Fig. 2, which shows the essential features of the pick-up end, 11 represents a small concentrated filament lamp, 12 a lens which renders the light rays from the lamp approximately paral1el, 13 a window thru which the light enters the pipe 14, which carries a representative sample of the gas flowing in the main 2, 15 the blade of a motor-driven wiper to keep the window 13 transparent, 16 a second window thru which the parallel beam of light after having traversed the tube 14 leaves the same, 17 a sec-- ond wiper to keep the window 16 transparent, 18 a lens which reconcentrates the beam on a light sensitive element 19, such as a thermopile, photoelectric cell, selenium cell, etc., which generates a current of amount dependent on the amount of dust in the gas, since the current generated by the light sensitive element depends on the light fallingon it, and this in turn depends on the amount of light getting thru the dustladen gas, which amount depends in turn on the actual quantity of dust present.

Fig. 3 shows how the current generated by the light sensitive element is made to actuate the water valve 9 thru suitable electrical apparatus. In this figure, 19 represents the light sensitive element as before, 20 the leads which go to the Winding 21 of a magnetic relay, of which 22 is the soft iron armature and 23, 24 the contacts. In

the normal position when the gas is clean and ,;;As the gas becomesdirty (and thus requires more water than the one set 6, of sprays, left .on continuously, can give it) and at a predetermined dust content (fixed by adjustingv the spring 25),, the armature springs back and'makes the contact 24, thus closing the circuit'thru the contact 24,.limit switch 28, terminal F1, and field winding 29 of the motor 10, (the internal wiring the armature 31 of this motor, thru the terminal A and back to the line 32. The motor 10is so .of this motor is shown in Fig. 4) thence thru wound and connected that if current is passed thru the field 29 the motor turns in one direction, namely, such as to open the valve 9, while if it is passed thru the winding 30, the motor rotates in the opposite direction, thus closing the valve 9. This is accomplished by winding two field stem 2? being threaded into the bevel gear'B L- The stem continues to rise until it opens the limit switch 28, thus openingthe circuit and stopping the motor. lhe valve gate 35 is thus fully opened and water admitted to the set 7,. ofsprays.

As the stem 2'1 left the lower position, the'limit' switch 26 was allowed to close. 35 thus remains open as longas the dust content of the incoming gas exceeds the predetermined value; the set 7, of sprays being left on the while. When the dust content of the incoming gas drops below the fixed value, the current thru the relay winding 21 reaches a value where the pull on the armature 22 exceeds the pull of the spring 25 and contact is made at 23. The limit switch 26 being now closed, the'circuit is made thru the terminal Fz'and winding 30,

causing the motor 10 toclose. the valve until the limit switch 26 breaks the circuit, and leaves the valve gate closed, cutting off the extra set '7, of water sprays.-

While we have shown only one set of additional sprays, in practice, of course, one or more may be used depending on the extent of the fluctuations in dust content and water to be saved. When more than one set of sprays is used the currentfrom the sensitive element is passedthru the windings of as many relays as there are sets of sprays, each relay being set to disengageat a proper dust content. In the particular application just described,

the pick-up end was installed on the inlet gas main and'the water regulation carried out in accordance with the amount of dustinthe inlet gas. An alternative arrangement is to put'the pick-up end in the outlet gas main and carry out the regulation onthe basis of the dust con- 1 tent of the clean gas. The latter is anadvantage in the case of a system of gas cleaners, where if one of the system broke down or worked inefficiently, the efficiency of the remainder could automatically be raised to compensate for it.

' 'By means of this alternative (outlet)'' end pickup installation it would also be possible to hold theoutlet gas below a definite maximum value by arranging the relays to supply" continually more water until this value is reached.

sen washer, or any other type of wet washer. 1

Another application would be tothe process of conditioning of the gas'entering a Cottrell' cleaner, which-consists in spraying a'liquid'into ally water, although tar, oil, etc, can also be used. The present device can; of course, be used to regulate the supply of these liquids exactly in The valve gate.

accordance with the instantaneous requirement of the dirty gas.

Also, while we have shown the motor with two fields, a single field motor could also be used, the current thru either field or armature being reversed by a suitable system of relays actuated byzthe current from the thermopile- It isapparent that there may be manyadaptations and modifications made in the specific embodiment herein disclosed without departing essentially from-the nature and scope of the same,

and such modifications and departures are anticip'atedas fall within the scope of the follow ing claims.

What is claimed: 1. In. combination, gas cleaning apparatus including a tower washer, means to spray water through said'tower, conduit means to conduct gases to be; cleaned into and out of said tower, a smoke density meter disposed in at least one of said gas conduit means, and means actuated by said meter device to vary the volume of water sprayed through said tower washer in response to variations-in the-density of smoke passing through said meter device. r

2-;In the combination described and claimed in claim 1, a smoke density meter of theradiation type" including a sourceof radiation, a radiation sensitive element, means to support said source of radiation and said radiation sensitive in claim 1, means actuated by the met'er'device to vary thevolume of water in said tower washer in response to variations in the density'of' smoke passing through the meter device, said means comprising an electromagnet electrically connected. in' serieswith said meter-device to be energized thereby, a pivotally connected contact element'sp'ring supported to maintain one electrical'circuit closed and positioned with respect to said electromagnet to be moved from said spring supported position to close a second elec trical circuit upon energization of said electromagnet by a current flow from said meter device, a reversible motor 'in series with each cir cuit, the'drive shaft of said'motor being geared to a valve controlling 'the flow'of water to said 4. In the combination described and claimed in claim 1, means to vary the volume of water sprayed in said tower in response to variations in the density of gases flowing therethrough,

said means comprisin 'g' a radiation responsive elementenergized by radiation passing through a known portion of the gases being cleanedythe 7 electriccurr'ent' generated therein being utilized the gas before it enters the Cottrell .cleaneryusuto energizefielectromagnetic means, a movable contact element adapted to close one electric said energiz I trical circuit in response to the electromagnetic current in said electromagnetic means, adjustable tension means to resist the displacing of said contact member from its rest position, a reversible field wound motor energized by the current flow in said two electric circuits, valve means to control the volume of water flowing to said spray tower and means to operatively connect the armature of said motor to said valve means to open and close the said valve in response to energization of said motor.

5. In the combination described and claimed in claim 1, means to vary the volume of water sprayed in said tower in response to variations in the density of gases flowing therethrough, said means comprising a radiation responsive element energized by radiation passing through a known portion of the gases being cleaned, the electric current generated therein being utilized to energize electromagnetic means, a movable contact element adapted to close one electric circuit in rest position and adapted to be displaced therefrom to contact with a second electrical circuit in response to the electromagnetic current in:

said electromagnetic means, adjustable tension means to resist the displacing of said contact member from its rest position, a reversible field 

